I want to say right away that I have the utmost respect for Police and thank God that men and women risk their lives to keep us safe. I believe that most members of the Police Force want to keep us safe. Sadly, there are some bad examples out there that make the rest look bad. My team and I encountered one yesterday, and I was nearly arrested.
My team and I were at Boston University, a spot we go regularly. We were on public property, and were not impeding the flow of foot traffic. Yet a Policeman interrupted our open-air preaching, got right into our face in a heavy-handed way, and demanded that we leave immediately.
Actually, he gave us four minutes to pack up and be gone or we’d be arrested. He said, “I’m warning you” a number of times.
I am a firm believer in Proverbs 15:1, (“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”), and also Romans 12:21, (“overcome evil with good”). So with a respectful, quiet tone, I asked the officer to please let me know what law we were breaking.
He pointed to his badge and stripes and told us that he has “41 years on the Police Force” and that’s why he can tell us to leave.
I prayed, asked God for courage and wisdom, and told the officer, “If we’re not breaking the law, and we’re on public land, then I’m sorry but we’re not going to leave.”
“Four minutes,” he reminded me sternly, and told me again that I’ve “been warned.”
I really believed that we were being unjustly and unlawfully treated, and I believed that God wanted my team and I to stay, even if it meant jail. I called my wife and ask her for prayer. I told her I might need to be bailed out of jail tonight. I’m so blessed with a godly wife. She prayed with me authoritatively in Jesus’ name, and told me she’d bail me out if necessary.
I praise Jesus that Eric and I stayed for another hour and the Policeman did nothing to us.
God allowed us to preach in the open air two times, and have significant conversations with people, as well as hand out hundreds of gospel tracts!
About a half hour later an angry Law Student came by and told us, “I thought the Policeman told you to leave.”
I said, “He did, but we’re not breaking the law, so we’re going to stay.”
He got so angry that he took out his cell phone and told me he was calling the Police again right now. He was on the phone for a little while pacing back and forth, but eventually he left.
My friend Wes Nevish said, “If you get persecuted for preaching the gospel, God is glorified. If you get persecuted for being an obnoxious jerk, then it’s your own fault.” I do believe that the manner and method that we use with Open Air Campaigners is a respectful and civilized discourse, so I am convinced that we were persecuted for the gospel. For that I thank God that He counted me worthy. I also am well aware that I pay FAR LESS for my faith than many many other Christians throughout Church History and even today in other parts of the world.
Please pray that God would bless than angry Law Student, as well as the Policeman. And please pray that the gospel seeds planted that day will take root, and that Jesus will be glorified!
The following are photos from this amazing day…
https://picasaweb.google.com/113832164166152309192/201404IAlmostGotArrested
Thank you for your prayers, notes of encouragement, and financial support. Without all of those, we could not be reaching the lost for Jesus Christ!
Please feel free to share this with others you think would be encouraged by it!
all for Jesus,
Mark (and family)
Praise the Lord Mark! Keep it up!
Great testimony – you guys did good, keep being courageous.
That is an awesome testimony of trust and reliance on God!
You have to video tape the encounter next time (also video taping and audio recording a police officer in uniform is also protected by the 1st Amendment). Without it, it is your word against his and his “41 years on the Police Force”.
Michael,
Good point, Thank you!
Biblical shoes on modern-day streets.
Thank you for your patient witness.
Hey Mark too bad I wasn’t there. Thank you brother! You are brave.